Influence of Acute Multispecies and Multistrain Probiotic Supplementation on Cardiovascular Function and Reactivity to Psychological Stress in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Persistent URL
Author(s)
Möller, Clara M.
Olsa, Eamon J.A.
Ginty, Annie T.
Rapelje, Alyssa L.
Tindall, Christina L.
Holesh, Laura A.
Petersen, Karen L.
Conklin, Sarah M.
Date Issued
October 1, 2017
Abstract
Objective The potential influence of probiotic supplementation on cardiovascular health and stress responsivity remains largely unexplored. Some evidence suggests the possibility that probiotics may influence blood pressure. A separate body of research suggests that exaggerated cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress in the laboratory predict cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The current investigation explored the effect of acute probiotic use on (1) resting cardiovascular measures in healthy young adults and (2) cardiovascular and psychological reactions to an acute psychological stressor in the laboratory.
Method Participants (N = 105, M [SD] age = 20.17 [1.26], 84.8% white) completed a 2-week, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial of a multispecies and multistrain probiotic. Exclusion criteria included previous probiotic use, diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder, and/or current antibiotic use. At visits 1 and 2, participants completed the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, a widely used psychological stress task. Participants were randomly assigned to a probiotic blend or matched placebo.
Results Compared with placebo, 2-week probiotic supplementation did not affect resting measures of cardiovascular function, cardiovascular responses during or recovery from stress, or psychological reactions to acute psychological stress.
Conclusions Contrary to expectations, short-term use of a probiotic supplement in healthy participants did not influence measures of cardiovascular function or responsivity to psychological stress. Future research is needed to determine species- and strain-specific effects of probiotics in healthy participants with various degrees of stress responsiveness, as well as in diseased populations.
Description
Received for publication April 15, 2016; revision received May 1, 2017.
Journal
Psychosomatic Medicine
Department
Neuroscience
Psychology
Citation
Möller, C.M., Olsa, E.J.A, Ginty, A.T., Rapelje, A.L., Tindall, C.L., Holesh, L.A., Petersen, K.L., Conklin, S.M. (2017). Influence of Acute Multispecies and Multistrain Probiotic Supplementation on Cardiovascular Function and Reactivity to Psychological Stress in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Psychosomatic Medicine 79(8): 914-919. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000489
Publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Version of Article
Published article
DOI
10.1097/PSY.0000000000000489
ISSN
0033-3174
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Must include statement that it is not the final published version
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